Should I Force My Daughter To Go To Church?

@ poster
your daughter is just a typical young teenager; naive and impressionable, also highly sensitive, so be careful. I suggest u live her alone. Pray 4 her and thank God she is not yet experimenting with satanism or atheism like Seun Osewa.  lol. Nah its nuthin to worry about. Just think back to all the things you felt, thought or did when you were 13 and you'll understand what she is going through now. Good luck.

The reason for that is because the parents themselves have corrupt tendencies with religious hypocrisy. That's quite a different thing

no there isn't a difference.  what's the point of religion if it can't curb the corrupt tendencies of man.  something is wrong with the parenting skills of Nigerians if all they can do is instill fear in their kids by forcing them to do things

@ poster

it seems you have given them a free hand since they were kids. i'll probably be right in assuming that she's the more spirited twin  

it also appears you've been going about it the best way. don't mind these cane hungry nairalanders. what could also help is

1. find out if there's been an event/wish that has affected her and made her question God's existence.

2. what books she's been reading. mention a few casually - da vinci code? or other such faith-antagonistic books/movies

3. who might have been the influence? her best friend? a teacher she greatly admires?

the purpose isnt to antagonise the person or object. just identify the source and work on ways to (covertly) cut the bonds

does she like novels? (i bet!) offer her christian novels. ask her to help you read it, you don't just have the time, energy, et c, and discuss or just listen to her retell it, even if she sounds critical. there are some really cool authors. my all time favorite is the mark of the lion trilogy (francine rivers), which may i add is the text for a number of college history courses. i don't know how anyone can read all 3 books (trust me, u wont be able to stop at bk 1) and not FEEL something for God.

ensure that her camps every summer are christian oriented and fun

keep up the prayers and xtian living by example

don't pressure her. don't attack her stance. at her age, it's the things that you attack that they cling to fiercely. but you can talk about it from time to time.

try to explain what you know about what's so difficult to understand in the bible. atheism is a response of the flesh in the attempt to establish its absolute dominion over everything. meaning: the flesh is too selfish to want a power bigger than them, and bigger than they are able to understand.

don't be afraid to help her make friends with people who can lead her back.

so far, you're doing great.

my prayers are with you. wish i could help.

Na wa o! Some backward posters are still criticising yvskc for not raising her child properly simply because the child voiced her quite reasonable and legitimate opinion. Like it or not guys, God's existence is only a matter of belief, it can't be proved, and challenging this belief is quite normal. Non-believers (in Xtianity) outnumber Xtians in Naija alone.

But,  what's this? Yay! The poll on this topic has swung for the progressives for the first time!
Big ups to all progressive thinkers: Queen D-reloaded, almondjoy, omo.olomo, gg, Seun, manmust etc etc. Your children will always stay close and will always confide in you.

Hopefully the 'drag ams' and 'flog ams' have not reproduced themselves, as they obviously can't tell the difference between a child and a goat.

I love you guys/gals who went to a good university, but are now saying 'Philosophy? Psychology? All na grammar!' If you are better-educated than past generations, yet you can't make better decisions than your parents, then what have you gained?

Wonder shall never end. That's absolutely true.

But for as long as my child remains a child, it is my responsibility as a parent to see to it that he/she heeds my call and respects me. That invloves going to church with me. He/she can decide to join a rock n' roll band for all I care, but that will happen when he/she has attained adulthood and is no longer under my direct supervision. In other words, such a person no longer feeds off my table.

It is my house. My family. My domain. I (with my wife) call the shots. It is no democracy here. It is a monarchy. It is my duty and responsibility as a parent to provide my family with the very best that I can afford. If that child wants a democracy, he/she can as well pack and go live elsewhere, or join Barack Obama's campaign crew.

I think our teenagers of nowaday should exercise some patience and wait till they attain adulthood before they start contributing their independent opinion to how the house should be run.

This democratic attitude in the family is tearing a lot of families apart and bastardizing family values. Did I get that child's opinion and consent before I decided (together with my wife) that we are going to have children?

I know i sound like a harsh father. But the very fact that I am the father/parent and that child is under 18 years, I legally, ethically and otherwise remain in control. So, she goes to church with me till she attains 18, and then decides what she wants from then on, including how to fend for herself.

These are my thoughts anyway.

at this tender age i think its wise to force her to church, if she were old i wuld av advised against it. try and live an exemplelary life; at this age a child tends to imitate anything she sees, so be mindful of how u behave when she's there and be cautious of the company she keeps. most of all. take it to the lord in prayers. 

matthew 11:12 " RIGHT FROM THE DAYS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST UNTIL NOW, THE KINGDOM OF GOD
                            SUFFERETH VIOLENCE AND THE VIOLENT PEOPLE ARE TAKING IT BY FORCE"
                                                  YES- BY FORCE, EVEN BY FIRE BY FORCE.

mark 11:22-24   "HAVE FAITH IN GOD,,,,, YOU SAY UNTO THIS MOUNTAIN,,,,,  AND IT SHALL BE REMOVED" 
           
      IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILTY TO TAKE HER BACK TO GOD B4 SHE TURNS THE HEADS OF OTHER CHILDREN
                                       MAY THE LORD HELP YOU IN JESUS NAME (AMEN)   

my 13 year old daughter has decided she wants to be a professional prostitute. Should I force her not to become a prostitute?

Many people here don't even know what it is to be a parent. There are some here who don't seem to deserve to have become parents. Which kind nonsense be that? which time me and my son/daughter wey be underage begin drag matter as to who dey wiser?

God save us all

@londoner,
THE BIBLE INSTRUCTED THAT YOU SHOULD TRAIN A CHILD THE WAY HE/SHE SHOULD GO,
IS THAT NOT?  THEN LET ME BRIEF YOU WHAT TRAINING  REQUIRES:
IT RQS DISCPLINE AND DRILLING WHICH COULD BE OF ANY FORM.
DISCIPLINE ITSELF RQS PUNISHMENT.    NOW What is punishment?
IT MEANS TO HANDLE SEVERELY OR ROUGHLY OR VIOLENTLY.
   VIOLENCE REQUIRES FORCE.  PLS GET UNDERSTANDING

Please,don't try to force her, try do something like, (1) Sit her down and talk to her like one of her friends, thereby asking her what really prompted her to start such things (2) Try get one of her close friends and ask the friend things they talk about whenever they are together, thinks they talk about matters alot (3) If possible, get someone she confides in and let than person get full details of whats' really happening to her.
May God change her heart and seperate her from bad influences. (Amen)

I still feel that at 13 shes way too young to be leading her own life and making such decisions.  I mean what next?  If the mother didnt feel it was a problem she wouldnt post it here.  No one is a good parent. A good parent is a parent who tries.  I think its the hardet job in the world to raise another decent human being. But when it comes to children lets stop this free thinking nonesense the modern soceity has good mad.  A child is a child end of story.